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Monthly Archives: July 2013

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Listen, I too got sick of the press and everyone else prying their eyes and cameras into the Prince and duchesses lives. But lets talk about it, this boy is now 3rd and a half in line for the crown of England. His dad and Uncle have been nothing but class in all aspects of their lives, their parents can be proud, the Queen can be proud, forget the damn Halloween costume by his uncle, we have all done dumb stuff. But now for a man of proud lineage who could afford anything he wanted for himself or his family, to A. drive his own family home, 2. take maternity leave to be with his wife and child and 3. to say he is going to help with diapers and all aspects of his new son’s life, my hat is off to you sir, thank you for showing, not just saying, what a true father and parent does.–j

Call it the Prince William Effect. Similar to how Kate Middleton’s choices have been known to trigger international frenzies — her cinched Jenny Packham dress proved that it’s perfectly fine for new moms to bear their post-baby bump; her 8-carat sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring spawned dozens of knockoffs; and even thosenude pantyhose evoked a 1980s revival — Prince William’s choice to take paternity leave (he’s the first senior member of the royal family to do so) is generating plenty of social media buzz, too.

According to Ken Matos, director of research at the Families and Work Institute, a New York City-based nonprofit organization, the prince’s choice sends a powerful message to the public. “Not only does it seem like William genuinely wants to be a present father, the royal couple knows that everything they do is aspirational,” Matos told Yahoo! Shine. “It’s possible that Prince William may be trying to set an example for fathers to take advantage of any paternity leave their company offers.”

And paternity laws are way more flexible across the pond. “Now, in England, women are eligible for 52 weeks of leave and they can share a portion of that time with their spouse,” said Matos. “For example, the mother can take 26 weeks of maternity leave and if she decides to return to work afterward, her husband can take the remaining 26 weeks to care for their child.”

While the father is on leave, he maintains his right to build his vacation days and may even be eligible for a pay raise. Yet, despite these perks (which were established in the U.K. in 2003), CBS reports that only two-thirds of British men take some paternity leave, and fewer than half take a full two weeks.

Unfortunately, no matter where a man resides, there’s often a social stigma preventing him from accepting time off after the birth of a child — fear of being viewed as uncommitted to his job or even feminine, said Matos. And those fears aren’t necessarily unfounded: One study published in the Journal of Social Issues found that caregiving men get treated more disrespectfully at work than men who adhere to traditional gender roles. Maybe that’s why, following the birth of a child, less than 5 percent of American dads took one month off, and 16 percent took no time at all, according to data released by the Center for Work and Family at Boston College.

That’s a shame because 92 percent of fathers report that paternity leave was a positive experience and that they would have enjoyed even more time off — dirty diapers, sleepless nights, and all.

Of all the enemies of public liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other… No nation could reserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. –James Madison, “Political Observations,” April 20, 1795.

Just as the uproar in response to the virtual whistle blown by Edward Snowden has focused on the right of Americans to personal privacy, the much quieter response to atrocities committed by the United States in the name of stopping terrorism has largely focused on the right of American citizens to trial and sentencing. While Americans have every right to, and are completely justified in, being afraid of the surveillance and indefinite detention of American citizens, those same atrocities that we fear for ourselves are currently being acted out on foreign born people around the world in the name of counterterrorism. Not enough Americans have exercised…

So tonight I took Monkeyhead to a carnival here in town, and as all my fond memories of my hometown came flooded back I couldn’t wait for her to ride the gravitron, and the octopus, the skat cat and the bumper cars, roll a wooden ball at bowling pins and get some cotton candy the twice the size of her head.

Cotton Candy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The thoughts of all the cool toys, mirrors, belts and toys with the occasional pair of oversized glasses. As we parked I saw the Ferris wheels and the squirrel cages, the giant swings and a midway; walking up the familiar sounds of my childhood blasted from speakers, and as we walked across the park, Jack Blades took me back to Sentimental Street and it felt like any summer night in the 80’s.

Unfortunately as we got close the rides got smaller, the lights weren’t as bright as I remember them and the cool carnival prizes had been replaced, by inflatable swords, and a cooler full of perch you could win one at a time for 5 bucks.

For Monkeyhead it wasn’t that good of a time, all the big rides were too big and all the small rides were too small, she didn’t have any desire to bring home any inflatable toys, so we headed out. The howlers and barkers from my youth are still the same as I remember, unshaven, dirty acid washed jeans, and really bad tattoos, although I swear as I left Jamie Pressley was standing on the back of the corn dog trailer talking about being my sister….

SO what does the Train video have to do with this? I’ll tell you, as my girls grow up and I reflect on my past mistakes I hope to try to keep them from repeating the same ones. Tonight at the carnival made me think of the girls I knew I was going to marry back in the 80s,and how life couldn’t get better than cruising main street and going to the fair. It wasn’t until I left home for the Navy did I realize that Southern California wasn’t Kansas anymore Toto.

We all got bruises over the course of our journey, the trick is to live through them, be glad all we got was bruises, hell, revel in them but love your life, because it has been awesome this far.

And for my mentor,Legend, Monkeyhead and Bubba..

Carpe the F&^*k out of that Diem!!

The first Ferris wheel from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the end of the day we all have far to many opportunities and beautiful sunsets to lose relationships, friendships, or perspectives because of political beliefs. be happy with how you are right now, and if you are not happy you have more than enough room in our culture to build you as you see you.

We all have our burden some self-induced, some brought on by seemingly innocent remarks by ignorant people, not stupid, but ignorant. I’ve been called knuckledragger, rock, stupid, baby killer, and doc. all by people who knew the truth or didn’t care. That’s ok me and my “dumb” brothers know the truth, i finish my MBA in 8 months, another of my knuckledragging friends graduates from Harvard this year, and another “rock” owns half a dozen business’ in the Houston area. Call us what you want as you set in your cubicle telling your ” I would have joined but i can’t stand someone yelling at me” or my favorite ” I was gonna be a (insert special forces ninja operator name here) but i hurt my knee playing football” stories.

Hows about you say thank you, look up and memorize the meaning of the word respect, be grateful that others willingly stand in harm’s way for you, everyday. We only ask that for our friends like Glen, or Rob, or Joe, or the thousands of others you go out and give your best everyday because they gave their best for a lifetime.

I don’t know how old this is and I’m sorry it’s not bigger, but damn these ideas are great and I’d vote for these changes,

but oh wait we don’t really get much of a say regardless of vote or protest, just today congress decided the NSA’s spying was ok, even after public outrage…we need to hold our country accountable not be held accountable to our country

write a letter, or an email or call their office and tell them your thoughts on their actions in your name…EVERY MONTH!

Government is for the people, by the people, not by the hypocrites at their convenience.